ผัดกะเพราหมูกรอบ (Phat Kaphrao Mu Krop)

Phat kaphrao is a popular family of Thai stir-fried dishes, showcasing the aromatic fragrance of holy basil, or kaphrao (กะเพรา). [1] Holy basil is spicy and peppery, with a flavor that some liken to cloves. Phat kaphrao can be made with a wide range of proteins, including chicken, pork, beef, or seafood. The version we are making today, phat kaphrao mu krop, features crispy pieces of pork belly.

Ingredients

***For the Pork***
1 lb pork belly
2 tbsp cornstarch
1 tsp white pepper
½ tsp salt
Vegetable oil
***For the Stir-Fry***
2 cups holy basil
6 cloves garlic, sliced
4 bird’s eye chilies
***For the Sauce***
2 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp fish sauce
2 tsp sugar

Since we will be cooking the pork quickly, rather than braising it, try to find a relatively lean cut of pork belly for this dish, ideally a 70 to 30 meat to fat ratio. Cut the pork belly against the grain into slices ¼ inch thick and about 1½ inches in width. Place the pork belly pieces in a bowl, and add 1 teaspoon white pepper. I like to toss the pieces first in the pepper, to ensure that the pork is seasoned evenly. Then add 2 tablespoons cornstarch to the bowl, and toss the pork pieces until evenly coated, dusting off the excess. We are looking for a thin layer of corn starch, which will form a light and crisp crust when fried.

In a heavy pot or other cooking vessel suitable for deep frying, bring about an inch of oil to 350° F. Fry the pork pieces in batches until fully cooked and golden—about 4 minutes. Work in batches to avoid the oil temperature from dropping too far. Remove the fried pork from the pot and drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Repeat until all the pork has all been fried, then set the pieces aside to cool.

Next, let us prepare the ingredients we need for the stir-fry, as once the second phase of cooking begins, things will move very quickly. Combine the oyster sauce, fish sauce, and sugar, and mix well to form the stir-fry sauce. Thinly slice the garlic cloves, deseed the bird’s eye chilies, and chop the chilies into ¼ inch pieces. [2]

Add about a teaspoon of oil to a pan over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the garlic and chili to the pan. Fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds to a minute. Then pour the sauce into the pan and stir rapidly for 30 more seconds. Cooking out the sauce briefly will help it thicken, and also mellow out some of the pungency of the fish sauce.

After 30 seconds cooking the sauce, add the pork to the pan. Toss the pork pieces in the sauce, and continue cooking, tossing constantly, for 1 minute. Then add the holy basil leaves to the pan and kill the heat. The residual heat in the pan will be sufficient to wilt the basil, and we don’t want to overcook the basil leaves. Toss the basil with the pork until it wilts and smells fragrant. Serve immediately, with rice and a fried egg, if desired.

Substitutions

If you can’t find holy basil, you can substitute Thai basil or Italian basil. However, be aware that these substitutions will change the flavor of the dish, as these basils do not taste that similar. To make the dish spicier, increase the number of chilies, or include the chili seeds.

You can substitute other proteins for the pork belly in this dish. To prepare it with crispy chicken, follow the frying instructions in this recipe, then add the fried chicken to this stir-fry in lieu of the fried pork. Vegetable additions to the stir fry are also welcome—some common add-ins are onion, baby corn, sweet peppers, or bamboo shoots.

[1] Ironically, holy basil (kraphao) is used much more frequently in Thai cuisine than the plant known in the west as Thai basil (horapha).

[2] Bird’s eye chilies are very hot, so use gloves while working with them.

Recipe

Prep Time: 10 min Cook Time: 10 min Total Time: 20 min

Difficulty: 3/5

Heat Sources: 2 burners

Equipment: heavy pot, pan

Servings: 4

Ingredients

For the Pork
1 lb pork belly
2 tbsp cornstarch
1 tsp white pepper
½ tsp salt
Vegetable oil

For the Stir-Fry
2 cups holy basil
6 cloves garlic, sliced
4 bird’s eye chilies

For the Sauce
2 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp fish sauce
2 tsp sugar

Instructions

1. Cut the pork belly into ¼ inch slices, and mix the pork with the cornstarch and white pepper until well coated.

2. Heat 1 inch of oil in a pot to 350° F, and fry the pork pieces, working in batches if necessary, until golden and crisp, about 4 minutes. Drain the pork pieces on a paper towel-lined plate, and let cool.

3. Mix together oyster sauce, fish sauce, and 2 tsp sugar to make the stir-fry sauce.

4. Deseed the chilies, and chop into ¼ inch pieces. Heat about 1 tsp oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Add the chilies and garlic to the pan and fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

5. Pour the stir-fry sauce into the pan and cook, stirring constantly, for 30 more seconds. Then add the fried pork to the pan and toss for 1 minute to coat.

6. Add the holy basil leaves and turn off the heat. Stir well. The residual heat should be sufficient to wilt the basil. Serve immediately.